Acetals and ketals of 3-alkoxy-6-halo-delta3, 5-pregnadienes



United States Patent 3,234,216 ACETALS AND KETALS 0F 3-ALKOXY-6- HALO-A -PREGNADIENES Patrick A. Diassi, Westfield, and Gerald W. Krakower, Eiizabeth, N.J., assignors to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of "irginia No Drawing. Filed May 25, 1964, Ser. No. 370,121 9 Claims. (Cl. 260239.55)

This invention relates to the production of compounds of the formula g flj ixi 4 OJ wherein X is halogen (brorno or chloro); R is hydrogen or methyl; 1? is hydrogen, lower alkyl, halo lower alkyl, monocyclic cycloalkyl, monocyclic cycloalkyl lower alkyl, monocyclic aryl, monocyclic aryl lower alkyl, monocyclic heter-ocycl-ic'or monocyclic heterocyclic or monocy-c-lic heterocyclic lower alkyl; Q is lower alkyl, halo lower alkyl, :monocyclic cycloalky-l, monocy-clic cycloalkyl lower alkyl, monocyclic aryl, monocyclic aryl lower alkyl, monocyclic heterocyclic or monocyclic heterocyclic lower alkyl; or together with the carbon to which they are joined P and Q is a monocyclic cycloalkyl or mo-nocyclic heterocyclic radical.

The compounds of this invention possess progestational activity and may be arlministered in place of progesterone in the treatment of habitual abortion, the dosage and/or concentration being adjusted for the relative potency of the particular steroid.

The final products of this invention may be prepared by the process of this invention beginning with compounds of the formula wherein R, X, P and Q are as hereinbefore defined. The starting material, wherein R is hydrogen, may be prepared according to the procedures set forth in application, Serial No. 318,593, filed October 24, 1963, in the name of Patrick Andrew Diassi.

The process of the instant invention may be represented by the following equations wherein X, R, P and Q are as hereinbefore defined, and R is alkyl or cycloalkyl:

3,234,216 Patented Feb. 8, 1966 "Ice The starting materials are first treated with an alkyl orthoformate, for example, ethylorthoformate, in an acid medium to obtain the 3-enol ether derivatives of the starting materials (Compounds 1) which are new compounds of this invention.

The 3-enol derivatives (Compounds 1) may then be treated with a lower cycloalkanol, for example, cyclopentanol or cyclohexanol or cyclobutanol, in an acid medium, e.g., toluene-sulfonic acid to yield the 3-lower cycloalkoxy derivatives (Compounds II) which are also new compounds of this invention.

Compounds B in a suitable solvent may then be treated with a mineral acid, for example, a hydrohalic acid such as hydrochloric or hydrobromic acid, at an elevated temperature to yield the 3-keto-6a-chloro final products (Compounds C) of this invention.

The invention may be further illustrated by the following examples:

Example 1.3-eth0xy-6-chlore-16a, 17oz-dimethylmethylenedi0xy-A -1 9-n0r pregnadiene-ZO-one To a solution of 1.0 grams of 6,8-chloro-16a, 17a-dimethylmethylenedioxy-l9-norprogesterone in 7.5 ml. of anhydrous dioxane 0.1 ml. of absolute ethanol and 1.0 ml. of ethylorthoformate are added. To this mixture there is added dropwise a solution of 0.035 ml. of sulfuric acid in 0.7 ml. of dioxane. The reaction is left at room temperature for 15 minutes and then neutralized by the addition of 0.6 m1, of pyridine. The solution is then evaporated in vacuo, using no heat to yield an oil, which crystallizes upon addition of methanol. The crystals are filtered and washed with methanol to give 3-ethoxy-6- chlro-16a,17a dimethylmethylenedioxy A 19 nor pregnadiene-ZO-one having melting point 146148 C., [06 75 (chloroform),

M33, 255 mp (e=18,400)

Analysis.Calcd for C I-I O Cl (435.01): C,69.04; H, 8.11. Found: C, 69.12; H, 8.15.

Example 2.3-etlz0xy-6-chl0ro 1611,1711: dimethylmethylenedioxy-d -pregnadierze-20-0ne Following the procedure for Example I but substituting 6,8-chloro-16a,17ot dimethylmethylenedioxyprogesterone for the 6j3-ChlOI'O-16oc,17a dimethylmethylenedioxy 19- norprogesterone there is obtained 3-ethoxy-6-chloro-16a, 17a-dimethylmethylenedioxy-A -pregnadiene-20-one having a melting point of 208-209 C.,

3,; 251 m (e=24,600) [ab-74.3 (chloroform).

Analysis.-Calcd for C H O Cl: C, 69.55; H, 8.31. Found: C, 69.45; H, 8.30.

Example 3.3etl10xy 6-chl0r0-16a,17a (5 methyl aphenylmethylenedioxy)-A pregnadiene-20-0ne Following the procedure for Ex-amplel but substituting 6fi-Chl0l0-1604,17a-(fi-In6thYl-a pheny1methy1enedioxy)- progesterone for the 6fi-chloro-16a,17oi dimethylmethylenedioxy-19-norprogesterone there is obtained 3-ethOXy-6- chloro, 16a, 17oc- (,B-methyl-a-phenylmethylenedioxy) A pregnadiene-ZO-one.

Example 4.3-ethoxy-6-chloro-16a,] 7a-(B-methyl-uphenylmethylenedioxy)-A -1 9-n0rpregnadiane-ZO-one Following the procedure of Example 1 but substituting 6B chloro-16a,17a-(,B-methyl-a-phenylmethylenedioxy)- 19-norprogesterone for the 6fi-chloro-16e,17a-dimethylmethylenedioxy 19-norprogesterone there is obtained 3- ethoxy 6 0l'll01O-16oc,17ot-( fi-methyl-a-phenylmethylenedioxy) A -19-norpregnadiene-20-one.

Example 5 .3cycl0pentyI0xy-1 6 04,1 7ot-dimethylmetlzy lenedioxy-A -pregnadiene20-one EtOH Max. 3 mp (e=25,300)

[a] 88.7 (chloroform). Analysis.Calcd for C H O t C, 76.61; H, 9.31. Found: C, 76.63; H, 9.32.

Example 6.3-cycl0pen ty l0xy-6-chl0r0-1 6 ct,] 7adimethylmethy lenedi0xy-A -pregnadiene-20-one Following the procedure of Example 5 but substituting 3 ethoxy-6-chloro-16a,17wdimethylmethylehedioxy-M' pregnadiene-ZO-one for the 3-ethoxy-1 6a,17a-dirnethylmethylenedioxy-A -pregnadiene-20-one there is obtained 3 cyclopentyloxy 6-chloro-16a,17a-dimethylmethylenedioxy-A -pregnadiene-20-one.

Example 7.-3-cycl0penty l0xy-6-chl0ro-1 6 cc, 1 7a-dimethylmethy lenedioxy-A -1 9-rt0rpregnadiene-20-0ne Following the procedure of Example 5 but substituting 3 ethoxy-6-ch1oro 16a,17u-dirnethylmethylenedioxy-A 19-norpregnadiene-20-one for the 3-ethoxy-16a,17a-dimethylmethylenedioxy-A -pregnadiene-ZO-one there is obtained 3 cyclopentyloxy 6-chloro-l6a,17a-dimethylmethylenedioxy-A 19-norpregnadiene-20-one.

Example 8.3-cycl0pentyl0xy-6-chl0r0-16a,] 70c- (,8- methyl-a-phenylmethylenedioxy) -A -pregnadiene-Zflone Following the procedure of Example 5 but substituting 3 ethoxy 6-chloro-l6a, l7a-(B-methyl-a-phenylmethyL enedioxy)-A pregnadiene-20-one for the 3-ethoxy-16a, 17oz dimethylmethylenedioxy A pregnadiene 20-one there is obtained 3-cyclopentyloxy-6-chloro-16a,17a-( B- methyl 0c phenylrnethylenedioxy)-A -pregnadiene-2O one.

Example 9.3 cyclopentyloxy 6-chl0ro-I6a,l7a-( 3- methyl a phenylmethylenedioxy)-A -1 94norpregnadiene-ZO-One Following the procedure of Example 5 but substituting 3 ethoxy 6 chloro-16a,17a-(fi-methyl-a-phenylmethylenedioxy)-A -19-norpregnadiene-20-one for the 3-ethoxy- 16oz,17cc dimethylmet-hylenedioxy A pregnadiene-ZO- one there is obtained 3-cyclopentyloxy-6-chloro-l6a,17a- (fl methyl tx-phenylmethylenedioxy)-A -l9-norpregnadiene-20-one.

Example 10.-6a-chl0r0-16a,l7u-dimet/1y[methylenedioxy-l 9-n Orprogesterone A solution of mg. of 3-ethoxy-6-chloro-16a,17adimethylmethylenedioxy A 19-norpregnadiene-20-one in 10 ml. of methanol and 1 ml. of 2 N hydrochloric acid is refluxed for 15 minutes. The solution is then diluted with water and extracted with chloroform. The chloroform extracts are evaporated to dryness in vacuo, and the residue plate chromatographed using neutral alumina (Activity V) as adsorbent and chloroform-hexane (1:1, v. :v.) as eluant. The band having an Rf of approximately 0.4 is separated and eluted with ethyl acetate, which on evaporation, in vacuo, and crystallization of the residue gives 31 mg. of Got-chloro-16a-l7a-dimethylmethylenedioxy-19-norprogesterone having a melting point of about 203-205 C., [a] +24 (chloroform),

ilt. 239 mu (e=15,600)

A1mlysis.Caled for C H O Cl (406.96): C, 67.89; H, 7.68. Found: C, 67.95; H, 7.66.

Following the procedure of Example 10 but substituting 3 ethoxy 6 chloro-16a,17a-(B-methyl-ot-phenylmethylenedioxy) A 19-norpregnadiene-20-one for the 3- ethoxy 6 chloro-16a,17a-dimethylmethylenedioxy-A 19-norpregnadiene-20-one there is obtained 6zx-ChlOIO-16ot, 17a-(B-methyl-wphenylmethylenedioxy) -19-norprogesterone.

What is claimed is:

1. A compound of the formula X wherein X is halogen; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl; R is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl and lower cycloalkyl; P is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, halo lower alkyl, monocyclie cycloalkyl, monocyclic cycloalkyl lower alkyl, monocyclic aryl, monocyclic aryl lower alkyl, monocyelic heterocyclic and monocyclic heterocyclic lower alkyl; Q is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, halo lower alkyl, monocyclic cycloalkyl, monocyclic cycloallcyl lower alkyl, monocyelic aryl, monocyclic aryl lower alkyl, :monocyclic heterocyclic and monocyclic heterocycli c lower alkyl; and together with the carbon to which are joined P and Q is selected from the group eonsisting of monocyclic cycloalkyl and monocyclic heterocyclic.

2. 3-ethoxy-6chl0ro-16a,17a-dimethylmethylenedioxy- A -l9-norpregnarliene-20-one.

3. 3-ethoxy-6-chloro-16m,17u-dimethylmethylenedioxy- A -pregnadiene-20-one.

4. 3ethoxy-6-chloro-16a,17m-(fi-rnethyl-a-phenylmethylenedioxy)A -pregnadiene-20-one.

5. 3ethoxy-6-chloro-16u,17a-(fi-methyl-a-phenylmethylenedioxy) -A -19-norpregnadiene-20-oue.

6. 3 cyclopentyloxy-6-chloro-16a,17a-dimethylmethy1- enedioxy-A epregnadiene-20-one,

7. 3 'cyclopentyloxy-6-chloro-16a,17a-dimethylmethylenedioxy-A -19-norpregnadiene-2O-one.

8. 3 lcyclopentyloxy 6 ch1oro-16a,l7a-(fi-methyl-uphenylmethylenedioxy) -A -pregnadiene-20-0ne.

. 9. 3 cyclopentyloxy 6 611101046 0517 a-(fl-methyl-aphenylmethylenedioxy) -A -19-norpregnadiene-20-0ne.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,009,858 11/1961 Ercoli 167-65 3,123,601 3/1964 Dia=ssi 260239.55 3,134,770 5/1964 Fried 260239.55

LEWIS GOTTS, Primary Examiner.

HENRY FRENCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA 